4 Step Process to Teach Self-Hypnosis Classes

There are two approaches to teaching self-hypnosis.  You can teach it to your clients in private sessions, or you can offer to teach self-hypnosis as a class. One of the benefits of teaching self-hypnosis in a class is that this is a very effective way to attract new clients into your practice.  

It’s fun.  It’s easy.  And it’s a great way to grow your healing practice.

You can use the following four-step process to impress your students with the Power of their own Mind.  Not only will this help your students to get better results from their self-hypnosis practice, it will put clients into your chair!

1. Prove that hypnosis happens.

You want to make it easy for folks to realize that the hypnosis is happening.  The easiest way to do this in a group setting is to use a relaxation induction.

A group hypnosis session is the perfect place for a relaxation induction.  In a private session, doing a progressive-relaxation induction takes too long.  It can burn up precious time that’s better spent addressing the client’s issue.  But in a group setting, you can use the feelings and sensations of relaxation as evidence of hypnosis.

All hypnosis is self-hypnosis. It’s by following your instructions that your students will achieve the state.  But you need to give them time to ease into hypnosis because you don’t have the ability to test for state in a group.  

Use a relaxation induction. It’s best to use a gentle, gradual approach that allows a person to relax into the state of hypnosis. Relaxation hypnosis feels good.  You want to make it a pleasurable experience for your participants so that they’ll want to go back there.  

Employ lots of deepeners. Once you have guided the class through the induction process, give lots of deepening suggestions and bring their awareness to the changes that are occurring as they follow your instructions to relax deeper.

Provide evidence of hypnosis. Give instructions to notice what it feels like to be relaxing in hypnosis. You want your participants to become aware of those feelings and sensations of deepening relaxation because you can associate those feelings with being in hypnosis.  You can then use them as evidence that the hypnosis is happening.  

Remember, hypnosis is not relaxation. While you don't need relaxation for hypnosis, you can attach hypnosis to the relaxation.  Make sure that your students realize that “that’s hypnosis”.  If they emerge and think, “Yah, I was relaxed BUT . . .  I don’t think I was hypnotized . . .” you have kind of defeated your purpose.  Offer proof that something is happening, and that “something” is hypnosis.

Maybe they let go of a little tension or stress – so they’re feeling better.  Maybe they experienced a tingly-floaty-dreamy state.  Maybe they felt like they were sinking down deeper into the chair.  Whatever it is, most of the time, they’re going to be feeling better.  Even the slightest change in how they feel can be used as evidence that the hypnosis happened. That’s what they came to learn.

Give a post-hypnotic suggestion for return. Once they notice that something has changed, allow a few moments to simply enjoy that better-feeling state.  Then, give the suggestion, “From now on, you’ll find it easy to return to this beautiful state anytime you want or need to.”   

Add the suggestion that each time they will be able to go deeper than the time before.  And each time they will feel better and better. Then, encourage your students to take ownership of this ability.  Offer some praise.  Say - you did that!  They have just accomplished something wonderful for themselves - tell them!  

What I like to say is, “I want you to realize that . . . YOU have created this wonderful state you are enjoying.  All I did was offer a few suggestions and YOU have created this wonderful state.   I want you to realize that . . . THIS is the power of your Subconscious Mind.  It can make you into the person you want to be.  And you can use it anytime you like . . . to create the kind of changes you want. ”

2. Make it easy to return to the state

Make it easy for folks to enter into the state of hypnosis.  Help them to realize when the hypnosis is happening by providing proof.  Then, encourage them to take ownership of this ability they already have.  Remind them that hypnosis gives them access to the Subconscious Mind.  That’s the part of them that has the Power to create the kinds of change they want.

The reason for offering evidence that hypnosis is happening is so that your students will know where to return to when they practice on their own.  So, before you emerge the class, make it easy for them to return to this state. You can do this by giving them a simple technique they can use to take themselves back into hypnosis.

Now, you’ve just told them that, from now on, they’ll be able to return to this state anytime they want or need to.  Now you’re going to make it EASY for them to do just that by giving them a technique they can use on their own.

Give them a technique they can use. A simple finger-pinch technique is all you need. Basically, all they need to do is put the thumb and forefinger together.  They can rub or pinch or form an O. 

A finger-pinch technique is simple and easy.  Anyone can do it.  You can pair this technique with a word, if you like.  You could also use a colour, or a number, or a phrase, or any combination of things.  Anything works.  Just give your students a technique they can use so they know when the hypnosis is supposed to happen.

I like to make it a ritual that involves three steps.

1. Take a deep breath in …
2. Hold the breath for just a moment.
3. Then, as you exhale, fire off the trigger.

Firing off the trigger marks the beginning of the hypnosis.  Once that happens, all you need to do is give a few suggestions to help deepen the state.  And you have just installed a formal induction process which makes it easier to return to the state.  Nice, right?

This little ritual makes it easy to go back into hypnosis because, on the exhale, the body will naturally relax a little.  Because you have already associated the feeling of deepening relaxation with the state of hypnosis, as soon as they release the breath, they’ll begin to relax into hypnosis.  Much easier.

3. Compound the response.

One you have installed a trigger you need to reinforce it so that it will work when your students are using it on their own. The way to strengthen the trigger is to compound the response by having the class practice it multiple times.  

To set up to practice the trigger, just say,   “In a moment I’m going to count from 1 to 3 to bring you back up.  At the count of 3 let those eyes open.  And notice how much better you feel.”   Then have them practice those 3 steps over again.

1. Take a deep breath in …
2. Hold the breath for just a moment.
3. Then, as you exhale, fire off the trigger.

Give them a few moments to take themselves back into hypnosis.  Then gently give the suggestion to go right back down to the same beautiful state, only deeper.  You can then deliver a few minutes of deepening suggestions before having them practice the trigger again.  Have them practice firing off the trigger at least three or four times.  More is better.

Now, here’s the secret.  You’re not actually going to emerge them.  You just have them open their eyes on the count of 3.  Opening the eyes doesn’t emerge a person from hypnosis.  So this is really a deepening technique.  

What’s happening is that they’re learning how to take themselves into hypnosis while in a state of hypnosis.  Hypnosis is the optimum state for learning.  Each time they practice the trigger, it will reinforce the response, making it easier for them to return to the state.   Nice, right?

Once you have installed the trigger, you can also install a self-emerging sequence.  This gives your students a way to take themselves out of hypnosis.  And, again, this formalizes the process.  From now on, their practice sessions will have a clear beginning and a clear ending.

4. Allow a few minutes to enjoy.

After they fire off the trigger, give them a few minutes to just hang out in hypnosis and enjoy the state.  While they’re enjoying the state, you can continue to deliver deepening suggestions and reinforce their ability to go deeper each time they take themselves into hypnosis.  Then, after a few minutes, instruct the class to emerge themselves by counting from one up to three.

Now, you have already emerged them using a one to three count, so they have already learned the process.  They know that at the count of three, their eyes are supposed to open.  All you have to do is wait for everyone in the class to open their eyes.

And that’s it. You now have a four-step process you can use in your self-hypnosis classes to make it easy for your students to return to the state of hypnosis.  Not only will this help your students to get better results from their self-hypnosis practice, it will put clients into your chair.

Many of your students will decide to become your client.  And these will be your best clients EVER. They’ll come into private sessions convinced in the Power of their own Mind.  They’ll already be conditioned to the sound of your voice.  They’ll have a practice they can use between sessions – that will help them to get better results.  And they’ll send you referrals!